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Thursday, July 31, 2014

ECOLODGE

New Norm for Lodges?

WHEN I BECAME THE EDITOR of
national geographic Traveler
magazine 15 years ago, the word ‘ecolodge’ suggested places that were so pared down
and dutiful that many travelers
were regarding them as the domain of the backpacker-all
basic furnishings and uninspired food.
Therefore it is astonishing to see how much the lodging industry has changed in
little more than a decade. I never much liked the prefix ‘eco’ because
innovative
hotels and lodges such as those we’re featuring in our special section on
page 58 magazine are so much more than green-conscious places in which to stay.
They source their food,
products, and workers locally. They proudly preserve an authentic sense of
place. They celebrate and cherish the local culture. They fight to conserve
indigenous landscapes and species. And they donate revenue to support nearby
communities. All this while also employing Earth-friendly technologies and
practices.

Many of the lodges are small and offer hand-tooled creature
comforts-and almost all are one-of-a-kind discoveries. But they can hardly be
reduced to the simplistic label of ‘ecolodge’. They are a sign of what will
prove increasingly commonplace-a move away from homogenized, big-box lodging
experiences. Even major lodging chains now are backing away from a
one-size-fits all approach in favor of the bespoke. This shift in the industry
is a gift to travelers
who have grown weary of lobbies and food and
décor that seem divorced from local cultures. I heartily welcome the
changes-and look forward to the day when we finally retire the word ‘ecolodge.”